


Memory Lives Longer than Life

by oversizedcassette



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Soundwave is betrayed too many times he gets used to it., but Shockwave DOES NOT have a medical license, don't decide to remodel your colleague's frame type without consent during surgery, he won't be glad and will call you quack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21779758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oversizedcassette/pseuds/oversizedcassette
Summary: Soundwave always remembered. He remembered clearly as it was yesterday the first day he met Senator Shockwave, who was everything This Shockwave not.Shockwave saw potential in Soundwave, so he helped to unleash it. Illogically, Soundwave was not very appreciated.
Relationships: Cassettes & Soundwave, Shockwave/Soundwave
Kudos: 15





	Memory Lives Longer than Life

**Author's Note:**

> Not an English native speaker. Poor grammar. More monologues than plots.  
[words] means they were communicating in mind.  
Spoiler Alert: This is mainly based on IDW Dark Cybertron, stories in RID and Optimus Prime: Unicron are mentioned.

Soundwave was a tape deck, Decepticon TIC and communication officer, had a bunch of annoying cassettes usually jumping out from nowhere. He was also the only well-known mind-reader, must be the creepiest one if there were even more. Rumor had it that he could hear from Iacon to Simfur, from the North Pole to the very South. Eww.

No mech liked Soundwave’s telepathy capacity, mostly out of jealous, but didn’t and wouldn’t like to know that gift came at what price.

Soundwave had a difficult time struggling in slums and gutters while suffering a splitting headache. Thousands of voices from the whole planet were echoing inside of his mind, almost drove him crazy, if he not already was.

The tape deck must thought it was Primus himself led him first to Ravage with other cassettes, later to Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology if he was a religious mech, which got him back to normal life and made him a high-ranking, self-controlled Decepticon from a poor wandering mech.

Soundwave hardly forgot. On the contrary, he was always listening and remembering, no matter you liked it or not. Thus of cause he remembered Senate Shockwave’s shiny paint job the first day they met clearly as it was yesterday.

"Soundwave is a good name." Mr. Big Shot’s tone was oddly proud. Not like other members of high society, he didn’t mind dirt on the street nor the so-called underclass mechs’ smell, though had an expensive and time-consuming appearance.

Senator Shockwave didn’t act at young Soundwave’s alarming look and not-so-relaxed frame if he noticed. He reached to the kid casually as treating an old friend.

"Kiddo, have you realize there is…"

"… much potential in you, Soundwave."

Shockwave commented while busy locating the Dead Universe. Dreadwing stood beside him wearing an unfriendly look.

"Your blindness is partly due to your leader’s short-sight. You can choose to see a long-term and full-scale future yourself, uncover the true nature of both our planet and species."

Shockwave tried his best to be convincing, that was, he stared at Soundwave blankly, calculating. Soundwave’s well covered face plate was the perfect sample of Decepticon cause — hard, splendid and unselfconsciously lost.

Soundwave's childish resentment had kept Shockwave at arm's length, never accepted the mutual beneficial offer before. Today was no exception either.

The navy blue mech stood straight and still, visor dim, lips tight. _A polite refusal. _Shockwave thought. _Or a disdainful one, due to his EM field._

_Emotional. As usual._

"I thought you could understand. Probably overestimated you.”

Shockwave raised his hand cannon decently, keeping his own pace, didn’t bother trying rush. ''Alone, you stand no chance against me."

He spoke like stating fait accompli. Typical Shockwave's haughtiness, presented himself as an omniscient mech. He underestimated the deep relationship between Soundwave and cassettes, considered they could be permanently eliminated by simply removing symbiotic coding, which was definitely wrong.

_Alone?_ Soundwave thought sardonically. He had secretly encouraged cassettes to perform indifferently and independently. It proved that his little spy masters had deceived Shockwave successfully.

All for this moment.

"Buzzsaw, Laserbeak, Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, all eject and attack!"

"As prescient as ever, Shockwave." Ravage spat before bit down.

“Mouthy pet.”

"Told you twice they were not."

"That's it! You bulb-helm creepy nut!" Frenzy supported Soundwave with his rich vocabulary.

Shockwave's stagger suited him well. It was for Soundwave's lost symbiosis coding and cassette player alt-mode. All thanks to Shockwave, there was no clue left to reveal the communication officer's former alt-mode except his chest, not any more. The single-optic mech altered his frame type without consent. Definitely Shockwave had no medical ethics, maybe no medical license either, as Decpticon notorious chief scientist, no mech dare to check Shockwave's certification after all. Thus he illegally performed as a "trustworthy" and confident medic for Decepticon high-ranking officers happy and free for millions of years. A terrible mistake.

The unqualified medic could never understand or correctly calculate the firm family ties amongst Soundwave's little team, which would always remain Soundwave's most treasured possession in spite of Shockwave's doing.

However, whenever Soundwave woke from recharge in a quiet mid-night, or caressed his lovely cassettes' helm, or suddenly felt his own spark skipping a beat, he would always be too aware of the huge hollow vacancy in his spark chamber.

Soundwave painfully missed the once deep connection between himself and other members of his team. He had been experiencing a continuous dull pain since the very moment woke from medical stasis after Optimus Prime shot too accurately on his face.

Laying on a hard medical birth, slowly rebooting, Soundwave sensed his brand new helm, recently reconnected neuron and the nostalgic feeling of his frame. He considered the secret anguish was the aftermath of surviving a head shot. Or maybe Weeljack designed a psychic-attack weapon for Optimus Prime.

"Welcome to a rational and plain world."

Shockwave greeted Soundwave unenthusiasticly. "Your current alt-mode: armored car, providing heavier fire power, higher mobility and deeper cover, as cassette players were nearly antiques now, better qualified for intelligence work. Your symbiosis system's removal enhances independence and judgement, reduces disturbance and risk, relieves you from unnecessarily social responsibility, conclusively, highly improves your efficiency. "

_What? !_Soundwave's servo froze on his own chest plate. Incredibly, he glared hard at the scientist's unreadable hexagonal face, seeking any proof of... of what? Undoubtedly Shockwave wouldn't miraculously regain his joking ability at any time soon.

The former symbiote host reached and searched but found nothing, not even a cross section left. He wobbled to pedes, adjusting to the new-built frame. Which would transform to an armored car, Soundwave thought bitterly.

"Appreciation acknowledged." Shockwave nodded, as if he had any sense of social etiquette. Very appreciated, Souneave used his now heavily fire powered, highly mobile armored car's fist warmly greeted Shockwave's optic.

Soundwave hardly resisted the urge to punch his savior twice, or more. "Soundwave's relationship with cassettes, not held by coding, would never change."

The scientist put his single servo on his single optic, or face plate, or helm, whatever. He digested the new information in a nanoklik, felt truly confused.

"Then why didn't you ask for deletion previously?"

The joyful host's out of control arm accidentally ended at Shockwave's helm again. The quack must had done something wrong, an imprecise connection or so.

"Rumble and Frenzy acquire no extra protection anymore. Megatron will agree."

After a moment of silence, Soundwave got his arms under control. (Finally. Shockwave thought.) "Repair work, appreciated. Reserve objection to unauthorized remodel."

"Soundwave, your ‘love’ towards cassettes was just a reaction mechanism, contributed by basic host coding. Whenever informed by cassettes’s happiness, your system will release neurotransmitters to satisfy you, fully control your feelings and doings while help you control cassettes as…"

The now-armored-car slammed the door in his face plate.

————-

Soundwave dropped all pretense and self-restrain. The whole team’s synchronized movements showed sufficient evidence that they put deep faith in each other, even without the bonding codes.

No wonder Shockwave would research on reviving deaths. Even the dumpiest Decepticons knew they could never let their guard down with him. No mech would stand with Shockwave willingly except zombie puppets dancing between his fingers. Maybe they were not either.

It used to be different. Nearly every outlier older than Rodimus, excluding Soundwave himself, was once under Senator Shockwave’s protection. Not only one Prime was led by him. He was generally regarded as a respected mentor.

But things changed.

Senator Shockwave’s personality and virtues were shattered under Shadowplay. A monster created by Senate occupied his wrecked frame, claimed his position and life.

How disgusting.

Soundwave met the penalized Shockwave during Senator Ratbat’s appointment for the first time. Of course, Soundwave didn’t legally attend. He monitored with his telepathy, only found out Shockwave’s mind was not dynamic and loud as before. Precisely, there was only a vacant hole instead.

This unfamiliar Senator was a pathetic victim, a warning for other dissidents, walking proof of senate’s power. Though overthrow, even burnt, senate’s dirty tricks had successfully worked on Shockwave. The cruel new personality was the perfect reproduction of corrupted political system. He coldly calculated distorted logic, very ready to eliminate all the obstacles now and then.

**Just like what they did to him.**

Besides, this new Shockwave's very being unhallowed Cybertronians’ life-form. Input. Computation. Output/action. He had no emotion nor desire, functioned extremely similar to a primal program but inside a Cybertronian frame, crossed the boundary between a life and a machine. Those Cybertronians who were splendid but only had a beast mode in addition to an alt-mode, as Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw for instance, were born in the shadow of discrimination, never got fully guaranteed civil rights before the war. A substantial part of Cybertronians were stupid enough to mistreat pretty lady Laserbeak as a pet while regard Shockwave as a rightful mech.

_How unfair._

As if resonated with the telepath's ability, the said mech contradicted. "Cybertronians' and other intelligent species' emotional pulses were electronic signals automatically running in lines. I have duplicated those mechanisms in laboratory environment perfectly. Not divine, just complicated."

He shook cassettes off, directed his charging cannon towards Soundwave. "It seems those superficial feelings make you weak, imperceptive . A telepath as you should see the essence of the chaotic world, deal with the true problem our planet faces."

Rumble fell beside his host’s pedes, was quickly caught up and held half in arms. "You mean you're dealing with that? Pff, like you did!" Slightly limped, he hissed. "Or what? You'll run back home crying to mommy?"

The purple cannon barrel lowered at Rumble.

"Frag you! Dumb filthy Unicron-stepped pit-born spawn of…" Cursing, a distracted Frenzy flew through control console into a wall. Ducked a shot, Dreadwing smirked, at the empty air on the opposite side though, obviously disoriented. Ravage caught the chance scratched his wing.

Shockwave eyed the communication officer with silent questioning, laced with a bit disapproval to his poor pet discipline. "Answer?"

"Ya not even asked him a question! "

Soundwave gritted dentae.

"Answer changes..." He suddenly activated his sonic blaster. "Never."

\--------

He failed to stop Shockwave, to discipline his treachery, to defend the honor of Decepticon cause.

He was defeated by the disloyal, unemotional, drone-like Shockwave. The heavy-built scientist didn't even try to send any mech to chase them. Shockwave let them go. _Humiliating._

Soundwave accepted Shockwave's mercy, if he had any, probably just focused on work. _Much more humiliating._

"We're leaving now?" Ravage pawed Soundwave, confused, got a sigh in return.  
Keeping fighting was reckless. He could not risk his cassettes's life.

_No, he's not defeated yet. It's just a phase._

Had acquired enough information, the Decepticon TIC headed back to their Decepticon brothers. United together, they would stop Shockwave, win the war, bring equality to their planet, achieve any goal.

“Later.” He promised.

They did reunited, even cooperated wit Autobots. Shockwave was stopped, by an unexpected mech. It proved again that Shockwave was not as prescient as he thought at all. The variance this time, was much bigger than Soundwave's five little spies.

Even Shockwave himself never believed Senator Shockwave was still remained somewhere deeply in his processor, until the righteous jet reclaimed this entirely reshaped mind much longer than any one thought, but too short than they wished.

Soundwave immediately distinguished the familiar vivid mind from the chaos of a forming black hole. [Senator? You still exi... are you still alive?]

[Ah, it’s you, Soundwave. Excellent control, kiddo.] The senator smiled wryly. [I would not if it wasn’t Orion woke me up.]

Yes, Optimus Prime was extremely emotional now. Soundwave could tell the two leaders' surprise and relief, though grief was still lingered on their sparks. Lord Megatron cared about Bumblebee's gone more than Soundwave supposed. The little soft-spark yellow scout did have magic.

[What have I done? What have I done to our planet, our species? What have I done to them? What have I done here? A black hole...rooted in myself.]

A thought flickered in the scientist’s processor.

Unavoidably, the telepath heard the decision he made, the conversation between them.

Everyone stood with him were still longing, waiting, fearing, hoping. Not could Soundwave. He had already saw the end of this chaos, more specifically, to Shockwave, the pitiful Senator and crazy scientist.

Why did he always hear that much? Why couldn't he turn off his audios or just distract himself to something else not that painful. Why would he always get hurt from others' pain?

[Won't let Senates be too satisfied in the Allspark this time.]

[Sena...mentor,... ] He can't finish the sentence. What could he say? No don't do this, just let the black hole absorb the whole universe and destroy everything? 

[At least I could say a proper goodbye to everyone this time.] Shockwave said cheerfully. [A burial in black hole is not a show off, is it?]

Optimus Prime's shout filled his audios up. But Soundwave couldn't care any more. The regret, the sympathy, the unbearable agony of being compressed into a singular point made him scream soundlessly, collapsed to the ground.

Too exhausted to pick up another fight or "friendly competition" any time soon, mechs in both fractions wished things could get back to normal in the end of the day.

Unfortunately, they did not.

To say things got out of hand was an understatement, they went down over the cliff. it seemed that Shockwave's farewell took much more things with him into the black hole, for example, Lord Megatron's ration.

How could he end up aboard an Autobot ship, circled by a group of autobots, leaving without a word, not to mention an explain to the red band newly attached to his chest. A serious farewell is really super difficult, right?

How could it be?

Soundwave stared, then had to support his helm with one servo, at last both servos were lifted, a usually covered face buried in them.

What a day.

All blame to the stupid alt-mode and the quack's doing.

\-------

Soundwave should have know the world was not gentle with him. Being betrayed had been a routine of him. Even Megatron, the gladiator walked out of underground mines, strong and eloquent rebel force's leader, who had promised to share the whole world with Soundwave and laid greatest trust in him even when they went off the original road, left him behind, betrayed him without a word, had never looked back or try to contact. Could there exist a better leader, shared the same goal and led him to the end?

No, impossible. But he needed one.

Soundwave chose Galvatron, he had no choice. This mech reminded him something of Megatron. Soundwave served him as served his predecessor, never listened to his mind, waiting the end arranged by fate like every normal mech.

An unwanted one, again, it revealed. Maybe Galvatron had too many particularities similar to Megatron. Things ended not very decently.

This time, Soundwave could only collect himself, walk out of shadow, came to the stage, shouldered the burden of leading decepticons on his own.

He couldn't bear another betrayal from a leader he handed out his loyalty.

Soundwave know it was a very difficult task, but it was even more difficult than he thought. Mechs relied their own lifes on him, had high expectations on him, made him feel like tread on eggs. He was hardly a mech with charisma, which radiated naturally from leaders like Megatron and the two living Prime. During the establishment of his Sanctuary, Soundwave was continuously missing Lord Megatron, Ravage, Senator Shockwave, even Starscream and Galvatron. He missed the time when he was an officer, a commander, stood beside or behind to a leader, listening, operating.

Shamed to admit, Soundwave had a time or two waking up from rechaging, cleaning fluid running down his cheeks. He always dreamed of Ravage or Megatron, or them both, sometimes Senator Shockwave also attended. They always left him, said goodbye or not. 

_No. Not permanently. They will come back, someday. They will all reunite._

_The embodiment of his lifelong ideal, Sanctuary Station, the home of all Decepticons, will perfect one day. At that time, all Decepticon brothers spearding through the galaxy, all mechs he missed, will come back home to live a peaceful and happy life._

He wished.

\------

Finally came the day, though some discrepancies in the details.

The days being threatened, being hated, being framed-up... were gone. It was all settled, including fates of the mechs he cared. Ravage, Megatron, even Optimus Prime (Soundwave wouldn't admitted, there was still a Decepticon in his spark) were gone, left him behind.

Only several orbital cycles ago, Soundwave would not even try to imagine the first and the only mech he was familiar to came back to Sanctuary Station was Shockwave, though not _The Shockwave_ he longed.

Though in stasis cuff and inhibitor claw, It seemed that Shockwave, maybe Onyx Prime was a better name now, but old habit remained long, eventually found his own peace in limited freedom than anything in the tens of millions of years he had experienced twice.

He was not planning and calculating all the time any more.

Probably.

Or he was. Couldn't really tell.

The prisoner stepped out of the transport ship, studied the place and its owner. He lightly tilted his helm, antennas pitching, behaved somehow more humanized compared to his normal status.

"Soundwave, you have more potential than I thought." This voice was more placid than cold to Soundwave. He almost expected a "kiddo" at the very moment.

But no.

Nothing.

Nothing in the mind actually, no surprise.

Silenced for a considerable time, Soundwave answered.

"Cause I'm a good student."

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy it.  
It's the first time I post a English fiction. I would be sooooo appreciated if you let me know what you think.


End file.
